RITZVILLE – Travelers using the Danekas Road over Interstate 90 in Ritzville will need to plan an alternate route beginning Monday, Sept. 30.

Contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will close Danekas Road and reroute traffic to repair damage from an oversized load that struck the overpass last July. Crews will demolish and replace the damaged span, reinstall the railing, and pave the bridge surface.

Closures of I-90 begin next week
Two 36-hour closures of westbound I-90 below the bridge are scheduled to complete the demolition and place the new girders. People who use the interstate will need to follow signed detours via the Tokio interchange off and on-ramps during the following closure hours:

6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1 to 6 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 3

6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15 to 6 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 17

There will be no lane restrictions or closures during football game weekends at Washington State University.

By law, vehicle operators are responsible for knowing their vehicle height as well as bridge heights along their route. WSDOT’s online Bridge Vertical Clearance Trip Planner tool provides a way to map a route for over height vehicles.